Information Technology Director

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Information Technology Director

Job Profile Title

Information Technology Director

Job Description Summary

Wharton School Overview
Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, a faculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year, 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Wharton is home to a diverse population of staff, representing a rich array of backgrounds, expertise, and cultures. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) is the global standard for academic and institutional business research. We are looking for an enthusiastic, talented, self-motivated Director to lead the Data Team. We have a great work environment and expect you to bring not only your amazing skills, but also your positive attitude to the table. Part supervisor and part project manager, help incredible people do incredible things. Lead a team of data engineers working on a Petabyte of data, using it for everything from full-text search to natural language processing to fast retrieval for the development of research algorithms.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Responsible for leadership and oversight of data management at WRDS, one of the most visible aspects of the platform.
• Set goals and objectives for the Data Team to implement strategic projects.  Translate feature requests into actionable tasks; perform project management.
• Direct day-to-day operations.  Balance operations and enhancements - the need to keep things running well as they are vs. the opportunity to improve how things are done.
• Oversee the Data Team.  Mentor and provide opportunities for growth.  Facilitate collaboration within the team and between other teams. Set technical standards and professional norms. 
• Report to senior WRDS management on the status and needs of the team.
• Interact with customers via data and technical support.  Interact with current and potential vendors of data and software.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5 to 7 years of experience in technical fields or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience managing technical teams and 5 to 7 years of overall experience preferre